


Only Hope

by kuzuhina (Know_Your_Paradoxes)



Series: Dangan Ronpa One-Shots [4]
Category: Dangan Ronpa
Genre: Fluff, Fluffy Ending, M/M, Naegami, One Shot, Panic, Past Character Death, Post-Canon, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-07-19 12:56:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7362310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Know_Your_Paradoxes/pseuds/kuzuhina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto Naegi was free. But if he was free, why did he still feel the heavy chains of Junko Enoshima's misdeeds hanging around his neck?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Only Hope

Makoto's head was spinning. He was finally free from Hope's Peak and the horror of the Mutual Killings.

But if he was free, why did he still feel the heavy chains of Junko Enoshima's misdeeds hanging around his neck like a noose?

Freedom, at what cost?

He remembered everybody who had lost their lives pointlessly in that school. Sayaka, Mukuro, Leon, Chihiro, Mondo, Kiyotaka, Hifumi, Celes, Sakura... all of the friends that had sacrificed themselves to continue the game.

Makoto closed his eyes, trying to compose himself. His heart was beating at a mile a minute, his knees shaking as he took each step.

"Makoto." He turned on his heel, startled by the sudden voice. "Breathe."

There stood Byakuya Togami, an uncharacteristic, sympathetic smirk on his face. He looked like he was trying to reassure Makoto, even though he hadn't seemed to care about him before. "Everything is over. We made it."

Makoto tried to speak, to say SOMETHING to him in return, but he couldn't find the words.

The other four walked past them, with Kyouko giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. She and Byakuya seemed to have an unspoken plan.

Byakuya waited until he was sure they were the only two people left inside the school.

"Listen. Everything is going to be fine. We've already gotten through Hell. All that's left is to go outside and face the music." His voice was calm and clear.

Makoto gulped. "B-But... everything has finally caught up to me, I guess. I..." He tried to stabilize his shaking voice. "I don't want to see all of the death and destruction she's caused..."

Byakuya nodded. "I'm not exactly pleased about it either. But we have to keep moving forward."

Makoto couldn't believe how inspiring Byakuya's words could be. For someone who could be so rude and condescending, he actually was making Makoto believe.

"Look, don't tell anyone else, but I... I care about you. A lot. And without you keeping my hopes up, I don't know what I would've done. It's... strange. I've never forgotten my worries so easily. Nor have I felt quite so weak. It's honestly frightening. But you mean a lot to me.

"You, Makoto... you're my only hope."

Makoto was stunned. He had never expected a confession like this, especially from Byakuya.

Before Makoto could give him an answer, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Another crept onto Makoto's face, Byakuya's thumb tracing his jawline. A blush quickly began to form on Makoto's cheeks.

"St-Stop blushing!" exclaimed Byakuya. "I'm being serious, dammit!"

"I-I wasn't trying to!" Makoto yelped in response. He wanted nothing more than for him to kiss him, or continue holding onto him like that for the rest of their lives, but, alas, that couldn't happen.

"Why must you make everything so difficult for me? Just..." Byakuya sighed as he lifted Makoto's chin and bent down to kiss him.

Their lips met for a split second before Byakuya pulled away. "You're too short for me to have to bend down every time I kiss you."

Makoto couldn't help but laugh. "Byakuya, I like you too. That's why I've been trying to get close to you."

Byakuya's smirk returned. "Well, you're going to have to get taller if you want more of my kisses, Naegi."

"Then I guess we'll both have to hope I grow a foot taller, huh?"


End file.
